Snap coupling with temperature readout for hand shower

Abstract

A hand shower having an upstream end is connected to a downstream end of a hose to receive water therefrom by a fitting having a snap coupling and a display. The snap coupling has a male part fixed on one of the ends, a female part fixed on the other of the ends and fittable over the male part, and a latch in the female part for releasably retaining the male part therein. The display is mounted on one of the parts and gives a readout of a parameter of the water flowing through the coupling.

I claim: 
     
       1. In combination with a hand shower having an upstream end; and   a hose having a downstream end adapted to be connected to the shower upstream end to feed water to same; a fitting comprising:   a snap coupling including a male part fixed on one of the ends;   a female part fixed on the other of the ends and fittable over the male part; and   latch means in the female part for releasably retaining the male part therein;     means including a display on one of parts for giving a readout of a parameter of the water flowing through the coupling, the one part being formed with a recess on a side opposite the display;   a battery in the recess for powering the display; and   a watertight cover over the recess for closing the recess over the battery.   
     
     
       2. The hand-shower fitting defined in claim 1 wherein the display is mounted on the male part. 
     
     
       3. The hand-shower fitting defined in claim 2 wherein the female part is integral with the hand shower. 
     
     
       4. The hand-shower fitting defined in claim 3 wherein the means includes a temperature sensor and the display shows temperature. 
     
     
       5. The hand-shower fitting defined in claim 4 wherein the display provides a digital readout of temperature. 
     
     
       6. The hand-shower fitting defined in claim 1 wherein the male part is formed with a central flow tube and with an annular compartment around this tube, the recess being formed in the male part and opening into this compartment, the means including conductors extending through the compartment between the battery and the display and a temperature sensor projecting through the tube into the compartment. 
     
     
       7. The hand-shower fitting defined in claim 6 wherein the male part is formed of two sections joined together at a plane crossing the compartment. 
     
     
       8. The hand-shower fitting defined in claim 1 wherein the male part is formed with a longitudinal passage for the throughflow of water and a transverse passage traversing the longitudinal passage and forming the recess, the means including an insert matingly engageable in and through the transverse recess. 
     
     
       9. The hand-shower fitting defined in claim 8 wherein the transverse passage is of generally square section and the insert has an end of complementary square section and a central portion of substantially smaller size in the longitudinal passage. 
     
     
       10. The hand-shower fitting defined in claim 1, further comprising a switch for turning the display on and off. 
     
     
       11. The hand-shower fitting defined in claim 1, further comprising a solar cell for powering the display.